In addition to delving into the NaNoWriMo fun, I’m keeping my #NovemberGratitude Challenge in mind as well. This week, I’m going to challenge myself to concentrate on my Main Characters and how they are being forced to step out of their comfort zones. It made me think:

What am I doing to make me step out of my comfort zone?

Well, I am going to write a novel in a month, so no pressure there. (Actually, although this is my first time participating in the NaNoWriMo, I did write my first novel of 60k+ words in only 3 weeks.) But what else am I doing to step things up?

How about you – Do you feel like you’re growing – or do you feel stagnant?

Happy #MotivatedMonday! Remembering my #NovemberGratitude challenge, it’s always great to remember that it’s a lot easier to give goodness to others than we may initially think.

Often, we’re led to believe that only our hard-earned money can make a difference in other’s lives. While that’s always a help, it isn’t the only thing that can move mountains. Simply being polite, kind, or even acknowledging someone’s presence can make so much.

This week, let’s remember that we can always give something – even if it’s only kindness.

I want to start the week off right by finding something inspiring, motivating, and encouraging – and I’d love for you to be a part of it! So, I’m working with the hastag #MotivationMonday to kick off the week with something positive.

One German word that I’ve always found to be particularly beautiful is the word Leidenschaft. A functional translation of the word would be “hobby” or “pastime”, but that’s somewhat incomplete. More accurately, the English equivalent is what we mean when we say that someone “has a passion”. Find Your Passion Passion is exactly what we live …

My hubby and I have had so many talks about this, and on Father’s Day, he said one particular thing that really resonated with me. He looked me in the eye and said:

“You’re an artist. You absolutely have to create. If you don’t, you get physically ill until you’re doing something creative again. As much as you keep trying to convince yourself to go a traditional route, something inside you is always going to resist. Why not take a chance and just follow your calling?”

Okay, so if you can think back to the last time you found yourself praying for an academic semester to finally – for the love of humanity – end, then you know exactly how I feel right now. Apparently, educators are often the ones who look most forward to breaks and holidays, not necessarily the …

t’s a New Year, and believe it or not, I’m so glad to see it! I have tons of goals that I want to see become a reality, and it’s encouraging to be even closer to many of them as I write. It’s not because of a calendar change, but because of the gradual, steady changes within myself.

Still, we have so many reasons to be excited about 2018. This year, and every day of it, is a tremendous gift! As we start moving away from the euphoria of closing the door on 2017, let’s work hard to set aside superstitions and phony resolutions as well. Turn those things into real goals, bite down hard, and work to claim what’s yours.